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Xiong and Liu [21] gave a characterization of the graphs G for which the n-iterated line graph Ln(G) is hamiltonian, for n ≥ 2. In this paper, we study the existence of a hamiltonian path in Ln(G), and give a characterization of G for which Ln(G) has a hamiltonian path. As applications, we use this characterization to give several upper bounds on the hamiltonian path index of a graph. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasonic transit time (TT)-based local pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurement is defined as the distance between two beam positions on a segment of common carotid artery (CCA) divided by the TT in the pulse wave propagation. However, the arterial wall motions (AWMs) estimated from ultrasonic radio frequency (RF) signals with a limited number of frames using the motion tracking are typically discrete. In this work, we develop a method involving motion tracking combined with reconstructive interpolation (MTRI) to reduce the quantification errors in the estimated PWs, and thereby improve the accuracy of the TT-based local PWV measurement for CCA. For each beam position, normalized cross-correlation functions (NCCFs) between the reference (the first frame) and comparison (the remaining frames) RF signals are calculated. Thereafter, the reconstructive interpolation is performed in the neighborhood of the NCCFs' peak to identify the interpolation-deduced peak locations, which are more exact than the original ones. According to which, the improved AWMs are obtained to calculate their TT along a segment of the CCA. Finally, the local PWV is measured by applying a linear regression fit to the time-distance result. In ultrasound simulations based on the pulse wave propagation models of young, middle-aged, and elderly groups, the MTRI method with different numbers of interpolated samples was used to estimate AWMs and local PWVs. Normalized root mean squared errors (NRMSEs) between the estimated and preset values of the AWMs and local PWVs were calculated and compared with ones without interpolation. The means of the NRMSEs for the AWMs and local PWVs based on the MTRI method with one interpolated sample decrease from 1.14% to 0.60% and 7.48% to 4.61%, respectively. Moreover, Bland-Altman analysis and coefficient of variation were used to validate the performance of the MTRI method based on the measured local PWVs of 30 healthy subjects. In conclusion, the reconstructive interpolation for the pulse wave estimation improves the accuracy and repeatability of the carotid local PWV measurement. Ultrasonic transit time-based local pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurement is defined as the distance between two beam positions on a segment of common carotid artery (CCA) divided by the transit time of the pulse wave (PW). However, PWs estimated from ultrasonic radio frequency (RF) signals with a limited number of frames using the motion tracking are typically discontinuous. In this work, a method that involves motion tracking combined with reconstructive interpolation (MTRI) is proposed for PW estimation to improve local PWV measurement. For each beam position, normalized cross-correlation functions (NCCFs) between the reference (the first frame) and comparison (the remaining frames) RF signals are calculated. Thereafter, the reconstructive interpolation is performed in the neighborhood of the NCCFs' peak to identify the interpolation-deduced peak locations, which are more exact than the original ones. According to which, the improved PWs are obtained to calculate their transit time along a segment of the CCA. Finally, the local PWV is measured by applying a linear regression fit to the time-distance result. In ultrasound simulations based on the PW propagation models of young, middle-aged, and elderly groups, the MTRI method with different numbers of interpolated samples was used to estimate PWs and local PWVs. Normalized root mean squared errors (NRMSEs) between the estimated and preset values of the PWs and local PWVs were calculated and compared with ones without interpolation. The means of the NRMSEs for the PWs and local PWVs based on the MTRI method with one interpolated sample decrease from 1.14% to 0.60% and 7.48% to 4.61%, respectively. Moreover, Bland-Altman analysis and coefficient of variation were used to validate the performance of the MTRI method based on the measured local PWVs of 30 healthy subjects. In conclusion, the MTRI method can improve the PW estimation and thus afford more accurate local PWV measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Crowd counting methods have become increasingly mature. However, the problem of dramatic scale variation still exists. For this reason, we propose an efficient separated and fused pyramid attention network, which can extract multiscale features on channels and space and greatly alleviate the problem of dramatic scale variation. First, in order to extract the rich features on the channel, we design a separated and fused channel attention module, which is composed of two 3x3 convolution layers, a separated attention module, and a SE module. Second, we design a spatial contextual feature fusion module to fully extract multiscale features in spatial dimensions. Finally, we conduct comparison experiments with state-of-the-art methods on several challenging datasets, including the ShanghaiTech, UCF_CC_50, and WorldExpo'10 datasets. The experimental results show our method outperforms most of the state-of-the-art methods. We conduct ablation experiments on the ShanghaiTech Part A and Part B datasets to verify the importance of each submodule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Researchers have previously reported that mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) can play different roles in microsatellite instable/mismatch repair-deficient (MSI/dMMR) and microsatellite stable/mismatch repair-proficient (MSS/pMMR) colorectal cancer (CRC). To support malignancy, dMMR CRC relies on glycolysis, while pMMR CRC favors oxidative phosphorylation. However, it is unclear whether mtDNA-CN changes are related to T cell infiltration in CRC. Methods: The mtDNA-CN was detected by qRT-PCR in 532 patients, and the expression of CD3 and CD8 in 485 patients was detected by immunohistochemistry. The correlation between mtDNA-CN and the prognosis of CRC patients was further analyzed, and the correlation between mtDNA-CN and T lymphocyte infiltration was also analyzed. Biopsy specimens from the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) treatment cohort were obtained to verify the correlation between mtDNA-CN and the efficacy of ICIs. The effects of mtDNA-CN and MMR status on gene expression were analyzed by RNA-seq. Results: Our results show that mtDNA-CN has inverse relationships to CRC prognosis in cases with different MMR statuses, potentially inducing the U-shaped association in CRC. The opposing correlations between mtDNA-CN and T lymphocyte infiltration in cases of dMMR CRC and pMMR CRC further suggest that mtDNA-CN might play an important role in CRC development. More importantly, cases of pMMR CRC with lower mtDNA-CN and of dMMR CRC with higher mtDNA-CN can benefit more dramatically from ICIs. Furthermore, RNA-seq revealed a link between the level of mtDNA-CN and T lymphocyte infiltration in CRC cases with different MMR statuses. Conclusion: Our study found a potential relationship between mtDNA-CN and CRC development that differs by MMR status, potentially providing a rationale for the use of mtDNA-CN as both a predictive biomarker and a therapeutic target for ICIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a circuit component with memory function, memristors have significant nonlinear physical characteristics and are widely used in the study of chaotic circuits and artificial neural networks. Given the superconducting quantum properties of Josephson junctions, various functional circuits and their applications, including memristors and Josephson junctions, have attracted widespread attention in recent years. This paper aims to study the nonlinear dynamic behavior, state switching characteristics, memory characteristics, and Hamiltonian energy calculation of a phototub chaotic circuit based on memristor and Josephson junction. Firstly, by utilizing the nonlinear physical characteristics of memristors and the superconducting quantum properties of Josephson junctions, a type of memristor coupled Josephson junction resonant circuit model is constructed by simultaneously introducing memristor and Josephson junction into the resonant circuit, selecting appropriate electronic components in a series parallel manner, and further exploring the memory mechanism and electromagnetic induction effect of memristor. Then, through dimensionless transformation, based on nonlinear dynamics and control theory and numerical simulation, the complex chaotic characteristics of its dynamic system are thoroughly studied. Lastly, in order to explore ways to reduce the energy storage of components in resonant coupled circuit systems with memristors, the Hamiltonian energy function of the coupled network containing memristor is calculated and analyzed. This study will play a certain expanding role in the nonlinear dynamic analysis and application of memristor functional circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to introduce a novel four-dimensional memristor-involved system and its applications in image encryption and chaotic circuit. The typical dynamical behaviors of the memristor-involved system are explored, such as chaotic phase potraits, Lyapunov exponent spectrum (LES), bifurcation diagram (BD) and complexity analysis. Then a color image encryption algorithm is designed. In this algorithm, the sequences generated by the four-dimensional memristor-involved system are used in scrambling and diffusion algorithm for three channels. The algorithm analysis results based on key space, key sensitivity, information entropy, histogram distribution, correlation coefficients, data loss and noise attacks indicate that the proposed algorithm can improve the security of the color image encryption algorithm. Finally, the memristor-involved chaotic circuit is implemented by using some discrete components. The experimental results of hardware circuit are consistent with the Multisim simulation results and the numerical simulation results. The research results have certain universality and portability, and can provide technical support for the subsequent analysis of other nonlinear circuits and the application of chaotic secure communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutant KRAS (KRASMUT) is often exploited by cancers to shape tumor immunity, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Here we report that tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) from KRASMUT cancers are sensitive to activation-induced cell death (AICD). circATXN7, an NF-κB-interacting circular RNA, governs T cell sensitivity to AICD by inactivating NF-κB. Mechanistically, histone lactylation derived from KRASMUT tumor cell-produced lactic acid directly activates transcription of circATXN7, which binds to NF-κB p65 subunit and masks the p65 nuclear localization signal motif, thereby sequestering it in the cytoplasm. Clinically, circATXN7 upregulation in tumor-specific CTLs correlates with adverse clinical outcomes and immunotherapeutic resistance. Genetic ablation of circAtxn7 in CD8+ T cells leads to mutant-selective tumor inhibition, while also increases anti-PD1 efficacy in multiple tumor models in female mice. Furthermore, targeting circATXN7 in adoptively transferred tumor-reactive CTLs improves their antitumor activities. These findings provide insight into how lymphocyte-expressed circRNAs contribute to T-cell fate decisions and anticancer immunotherapies. Oncogenic KRAS mutations can dictate the formation of an immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment. Here the authors report that, in KRAS mutant colorectal cancer, the upregulation of circATXN7 in tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes is associated with increased sensitivity to activation-induced cell death and resistance to immunotherapy." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nervous system is composed of various functional neurons, some of which perceive sound or light, and these physical signals can be converted into bioelectrical signals. From the biophysical point of view, piezoelectric ceramic embedded in neuronal circuits can detect the external auditory waves, while phototube can capture light signals, so as to obtain two functional neurons with auditory recognition and light-dependent recognition. Considering the two identical or different functional neurons are connected by an induction coil to stimulate magnetic field coupling, and there will be energy diversity when they are driven by different initial conditions or external stimulation. Thus, synaptic connections can be activated and awakened in an adaptive manner when field energy is exchanged, and the coupling channel remains open until the energy diversity between neurons is controlled at a limited threshold. For this purpose, a criterion of the coupling strength increases exponentially is proposed to discuss the enhancement of neuronal synaptic connections. It is found that two neurons can be coupled adaptively to achieve complete synchronization, quasi-synchronization or intermittent quasi-synchronization. These results could help in designing functional assistive devices for patients with hearing or vision impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to introduce a novel complex fifth-order memristive circuit system and its applications in synchronous stability and weak signal detection. Firstly, the typical dynamical behaviors of the memristive system are discussed by chaotic phase portrait, complexity analysis, one-parameter bifurcation and Lyapunov exponent spectrum. Secondly, the adaptive control method is applied to realize the synchronization between the drive memristive system (DMS) and the response memristive system (RMS). The results indicate that the synchronization method has strong robustness and anti-interference ability. Thirdly, the weak signal detection of the novel five-dimensional memristive system is realized by using the extreme sensitivity of chaotic system to initial values. Finally, the fifth-order memristive circuit is designed by using basic electronic elements and simulated by Multisim software. And the anti-interference ability and sensitivity of the fifth-order memristive circuit are further verified by adding different weak disturbance signals at different positions of the circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of electromagnetic field to neuron firing rhythm is not negligible. In order to investigate the behavior mechanism, a five-dimensional neuron model based on the Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction is improved by introducing magnetic flux variables and electric field variables on the three-dimensional Hindmarsh–Rose (HR) neuron model, and then, its rich dynamics and application in image encryption are discussed. Specifically, the equilibrium point distribution is analyzed using Matcont software and it is found that there are subcritical Hopf bifurcation and coexisting mode firing first. Second, numerical simulations are performed in terms of two-parameter bifurcation, ISI bifurcation, the maximum Lyapunov exponent and firing sequences, and the experimental results show that the new model exhibits various firing rhythms. The rich dynamic behaviors make the model more suitable for application in image encryption. So in the end, a grayscale image encryption scheme containing five parts called sparse, compression calculation, forward diffusion, rank scrambling and backward diffusion is designed by combining with the compressive sensing theory. The security analysis results show that the designed encryption scheme not only has excellent compression performance and high security, but also displays faster encryption speed. That is to say, the algorithm can be applied to the field of real encryption owning to the advantages of the lower costs of data transmission and higher efficiency of encryption. It is worth mentioning that the influence of different dimensional compression methods on the encryption and reconstruction effects is analyzed for the first time. The research results of this paper provide some ideas for perfecting the neuron model, revealing the influence of electromagnetic field on biological nervous system, and the excellent performance of the new neuron model provides theoretical guidance and experimental basis for the practical application of digital image encryption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease. Since the first human monkeypox case was detected in 1970, it has been prevalent in some countries in central and western Africa. Since May 2022, monkeypox cases have been reported in more than 96 non-endemic countries and regions worldwide. As of September 14, 2022, there have been more than 58,200 human monkeypox cases, and there is community transmission. The cessation of smallpox vaccination in 1980, which had some cross-protection with monkeypox, resulted in a general lack of immunity to monkeypox, which caused global concern and vigilance. As of September 14, 2022, there are four monkeypox cases in China, including three in Taiwan province and one in Hong Kong city. Previous foreign studies have shown that children are vulnerable to monkeypox and are also at high risk for severe disease or complications. In order to improve pediatricians' understanding of monkeypox and achieve early detection, early diagnosis, early treatment, and early disposal, we have organized national authoritative experts in pediatric infection, respiratory, dermatology, critical care medicine, infectious diseases, and public health and others to formulate this expert consensus, on the basis of the latest "Clinical management and infection prevention and control for monkeypox" released by The World Health Organization, the "guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of monkeypox (version 2022)" issued by National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China and other relevant documents. During the development of this consensus, multidisciplinary experts have repeatedly demonstrated the etiology, epidemiology, transmission, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, discharge criteria, prevention, disposal process, and key points of prevention and control of suspected and confirmed cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a tumor with high incidence and poor prognosis in developing countries. Junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A, also known as F11R) affects numerous biological processes, which is a vital regulator of the development of malignant tumors. However, its exact role and underlying mechanism in ESCC remain obscure. Our present study demonstrated that JAM-A was upregulated in ESCC tissues and cell lines by RNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry (IHC). JAM-A knockdown significantly suppressed the proliferation of the ESCC cells, induced cell cycle arrest at the G1 and promoted apoptosis, and suppressed the ability of invasion and migration in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, JAM-A may activate the NF-κB signaling pathway to regulate malignant behavior of ESCC. Further research showed that Homeobox D11 (HOXD11) could directly regulate JAM-A transcription by binding to specific sequences of JAM-A promoter region, thereby activating NF-κB signaling pathway to regulate malignant behavior of ESCC. Functional experiments indicated that HOXD11 could exert an oncogenic role in ESCC. Collectively, our findings support the hypothesis that the HOXD11/JAM-A/NF-κB signal axis plays a role in regulating malignant behavior in ESCC patients, highlighting its potential therapeutic value for ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical synapses can quickly activate the gap junctions between adjacent neurons, so the effect of electrical synaptic coupling is often equivalent to that of voltage coupling based on resistors; the release of neurotransmitters in chemical synapses can cause the pumping of ions, which in turn excites electromagnetic fields inside and outside the cell, so chemical synapses can be described by field coupling based on inductance coils. In this paper, resistor and inductor are employed to connect two HR neurons in order to describe the coupling effects of electrical synaptic and chemical synaptic in the actual neuronal network, respectively. Moreover, distributed time delays are introduced into the coupling terms when taking into account that the propagation of neuronal signal is non-instantaneous and non-uniform. For the resistor-coupled and inductor-coupled neuron models containing weak and strong kernel functions, the effects of synaptic coupling enhance on synchronization behavior and the bifurcation structures are compared among the three control modes (without control, using Lyapunov control and using back-stepping control). Then synchronization, approximate synchronization and asynchronization behaviors are revealed, and it is confirmed that the implementation of synchronization and bifurcation patterns of coupled neurons depend on the selections of coupling channels and kernel functions. Finally, the optimal control method, that is the back-stepping control method is evaluated in terms of controller design, synchronization error and synchronization range. From a physical point of view, the involvement of resistor coupling explains the contribution of coupled electrical synapses through the activation of gap connections, while inductor coupling provides the modulation of chemical synapses through the pumping and transmission of energy by time-varying electromagnetic fields triggered by time-varying currents. The activation and regulation between coupling channels can provide some clues to identify the diversity of synaptic function and synaptic plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carotid plaque is one of the predominant causes of stroke. We sought to build a nomogram using ultrasonography (US)-based radiomics and clinical features for identification of symptomatic carotid plaques. We prospectively enrolled 548 patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 63 ± 10 years; 373 men) were randomly divided into training and test cohorts. Clinical and conventional US features of carotid plaques were used to generate a clinical and conventional US model. US-based radiomics model was constructed by extracting radiomics features from grayscale and strain elasticity images. Multivariate logistic regression was performed using the radiomics scores together with clinical and conventional US data, and a final nomogram was subsequently developed. The performance of the final nomogram was assessed with respect to discrimination and clinical usefulness in the training of the test cohorts and contrast-enhanced US test cohort. All the radiomics scores were significantly higher in patients with symptomatic carotid plaques. The US-based radiomics model [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.930 and 0.922 for training and test cohorts, respectively] and final nomogram (AUC = 0.927 and 0.919, respectively) outperformed the clinical and conventional US model (AUC = 0.723 and 0.580, respectively). The decision curve analysis indicated that the final nomogram was clinically useful. In patients undergoing the contrast-enhanced US, the prevalence of plaque enhancement was higher in high-risk patients than in low-risk patients based on the final nomogram-score (P = 0.008). Nomogram has a high diagnostic performance for identification of symptomatic carotid plaques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the global phase portraits of the discontinuous planar piecewise linear differential system of the focus-center type and the center-center type with a straight line of separation. We obtain sufficient conditions for the existence and number of the crossing limit cycles and sliding limit cycles of the system. We prove the system of focus-center type and center-center type have 45 and 15 topologically different global phase portraits, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the continuous expansion of sharing economy, the diversification of users and the heterogeneity of resources and needs on P2P platform are speeding up, which makes it difficult to match the supply and demand of P2P platform effectively. Therefore, how to achieve effective matching between service providers and customers in an increasingly complex market is a question worthy of study. In order to achieve more effective matching of heterogeneous resources and requirements, this paper focuses on P2P sharing accommodation platform, advances a theoretical framework of fair matching and builds a matching model which considering fairness. First, we analyze the transaction mode of P2P sharing accommodation platform, proposed the framework of fair matching based on preferences consistency and fairness of matching. Second, we build a matching model based on fair matching, to maximize the consistency of preference and minimize the difference between supply and demand, the fair matching framework deals with heterogeneous resources and needs by matching diversified preferences. Finally, the effectiveness and feasibility of the strategy are verified by example and sensitivity analysis. This strategy provides optimization ideas for the matching issue of P2P sharing accommodation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduced levels of retinal dopamine, a key regulator of eye development, are associated with experimental myopia in various species, but are not seen in the myopic eyes of C57BL/6 mice, which are deficient in melatonin, a neurohormone having extensive interactions with dopamine. Here, we examined the relationship between form-deprivation myopia (FDM) and retinal dopamine levels in melatonin-proficient CBA/CaJ mice. We found that these mice exhibited a myopic refractive shift in form-deprived eyes, which was accompanied by altered retinal dopamine levels. When melatonin receptors were pharmacologically blocked, FDM could still be induced, but its magnitude was reduced, and retinal dopamine levels were no longer altered in FDM animals, indicating that melatonin-related changes in retinal dopamine levels contribute to FDM. Thus, FDM is mediated by both dopamine level-independent and melatonin-related dopamine level-dependent mechanisms in CBA/CaJ mice. The previously reported unaltered retinal dopamine levels in myopic C57BL/6 mice may be attributed to melatonin deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil acidification has been widely recognized as a server environmental issue. Acid soil causes hazards to plant species’ development, growth and also the yield of crop through the world. Rhododendron species have been demonstrated to prefer to grow in acid soil. However, the molecular-response mechanism of Rhododendron seedlings and their interspecific variance to different pH conditions remains unclear. Herein, we compared the response of R. decorum and R. griersonianum to different pH treatments through physiological indicators, transcriptome analysis, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis. We found that the physiological and biochemical traits and DEG numbers indicted that the narrow-ranging species R. griersonianum was more sensitive to pH conditions than R. decorum. Photosynthesis and starch and sucrose metabolism shared significant enrichment pathways in R. griersonianum and R. decorum. However, differences in gene-expression patterns related to these pathways existed in response to pH treatments. Furthermore, several unique enriched pathways and expression patterns were identified between both species. Specifically, the genes involved in porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, carotenoid biosynthesis, carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, and photorespiration were highly expressed at pH 4.5 and 5.5 in R. griersonianum. Meanwhile, genes related to brassinosteroids, galactose metabolism, phenylpropanoids, and flavonoid biosynthesis were identified in R. decorum. This finding implied the different strategies of Rhododendron species during response and adaptation to soil pH conditions. The present study provided new insights to understand the molecular mechanisms of woody plant adaptation to acidic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Disorders of triglycerides (TG) are common in patients with peritoneal dialysis (PD). Hypertriglyceridemia has been demonstrated in various infections. The association between triglycerides and the outcomes of peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis (PDRP) was investigated in this study. Methods: We retrospectively investigated patients with PDRP from January 1, 2013 to October 31, 2020. Hypertriglyceridemia was defined as triglycerides ≥ 1.7 mmol/L. PDRP episodes were divided into two groups: hypertriglyceridemia and normal levels of triglycerides. The clinical and laboratory baseline data of the two groups were collected and compared. The association between triglycerides and treatment failure was analyzed by logistic regression analysis. Results: Ninety episodes in 66 patients were recorded in our center. Hypertriglyceridemia occurred in 38% (34/90) of episodes. Twenty-five episodes were not cured in 90 episodes (27.8%, 25/90). The levels of thrombocytes, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and glycated hemoglobin, were higher in hypertriglyceridemia episodes of PDRP at baseline. The bacterial classification was different between elevated triglyceride group and normal triglyceride group. Adjusted for age, duration of dialysis, residual renal function, diabetes, thrombocytes, hs-CRP, serum albumin, cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), glycated hemoglobin and spectrum of bacteria, hypertriglyceridemia were associated significantly with treatment failure of PDRP in our study (OR 3.416, 95% CI 1.223–9.540 p < 0.05). Conclusion: Hypertriglyceridemia at baseline was an independent risk factor for treatment failure of PDRP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was undertaken to determine if coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) can help to assess patent foramen ovale (PFO) with high accuracy and reproducibility when compared to transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Materials and methods: In total, 75 suspected PFO cases (31 men, 44 women; mean age, 45 ± 9 years) were evaluated by coronary CTA and TEE. PFO tunnel length (TL) and the opening diameter of the left atrial entrance (ODLAE) and right atrial entrance (ODRAE), as well as contrast shunt (if present due to PFO), were measured by both modalities. Results: PFO was detected in 68 patients with TEE. The sensitivity for the detection of PFO with CCTA was 85.3%; specificity, 71.4%; positive predictive value, 96.7%; and negative predictive value, 33.3%. Both modalities demonstrated good agreement in measuring TL and ODLAE of PFO. However, the ODRAE of TEE was different from that of CCTA (1.14 ± 0.4 mm and 1.45 ± 0.5 mm, respectively, p = 0.04). The intra-observer and inter-observer variability and agreement for TL, ODRAE, and ODLAE of PFO were excellent between the two measurements. Conclusion: CCTA provided a method for detection of PFO with high accuracy and reproducibility compared with TEE. Therefore, CCTA is a practical and efficient alternative to TEE for PFO diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During milling of free-form surfaces, cutting force varies due to the variation of workpiece surface curvature, which can seriously affect machining quality. In this study, a layered strategy was proposed for flexible machining of complex parts with variable curvatures. By taking a blade as the research object, we first considered a constant cutting force as the starting point. The relationship between the machining allowance and the radius of curvature of the workpiece under a certain cutting force was established. By analyzing the curvature of each position of the blade, a reasonable cutting allowance was set for each layer and the machining process was carried out layer by layer, such that a stable cutting force was maintained on the workpiece surface during machining of each layer. Second, the blade surface deformation law was determined by using the T-spline surface characteristics and an improved offset algorithm, and a series of deformation surfaces was obtained. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed method was verified by using finite element simulations and validated by experiment, and the advantages of the proposed method were verified by comparison with the existing main blade processing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiple-image encryption algorithm based on single-channel scrambling, diffusion and chaotic system is presented in this paper. The initial values of the chaotic system are associated with the pixel values of each set of encrypted images as the key for each set of image encryption. The pseudo-random sequences and matrixes generated by the chaotic system are obtained by the corresponding keys, and then, the whole set of images are fused across-image and transferred from the RGB channel to the HSV channel after fusion. For single-channel encryption, select one of the HSV channels is extracted and encryption operations of scrambling and diffusion are performed. The index sequences generated by the chaotic sequences with zero frequency shifting rearrange the pixel positions of the encrypted channel. Combining data splitting, stack storage, and chaotic matrixes, the diffusion operation is achieved. Analyses of the performance show that the algorithm has both excellent encryption speed and security performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A machine learning method was used to process a multiagent information database to study the spatial distribution characteristics of agglomerations of metal-related enterprises and to analyze the spatial and temporal differentiation characteristics of pollution reduction in metal-related enterprises. Based on the spatial distribution of enterprises and a simulation of their pollution reduction behaviors, the layout of 380 enterprises sample is optimized, and the direction of industrial transfer is planned to give full play to the pollution reduction effect of enterprise agglomeration. The results showed that (1) the metal-related enterprises in the Chang-Zhu-Tan urban agglomeration have obvious spatial heterogeneity and are mainly distributed in the district of Changsha, the Qingshuitang Industrial Zone, Liling city and the Qibaoshan Industrial Zone of Liuyang city, while the metal-related enterprises in Shaoshan city, Zhuzhou County and Liling city are scattered. (2) The pollution emission behaviors of enterprises differ in time and space, and the pollution concentrations are highest in industrial parks such as Qingshuitang and Zhubu Port. (3) There is an interactive relationship between the degree of enterprise agglomeration and the pollution reduction effect. The spatial positive coupling degree between the concentration of metal-related enterprises and the degree of metal-related pollution is significant, accounting for 94.96% of the study area. Low pollution-high agglomeration areas, high pollution-low agglomeration areas, high pollution-high agglomeration areas, and low pollution-low agglomeration area account for 1.01%, 4.03%, 2.87%, and 92.09% of the study area, respectively. Finally, based on the new development concept of dual circulation and the theory of a two-oriented society in the new era, the paper puts forward suggestions and policies for the sustainable development of industrial transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a memristive circuit system is proposed and its dynamical characteristics are analyzed by two-parameters bifurcation diagrams, Lyapunov exponent spectrum, SE complexity and C0 complexity. The numerical analysis results illustrate that the chaotic state of the memristive system is distributed in a large range of parameters, which is especially suitable for image encryption application. Then, in view of the fact that the traditional method of observing three-dimensional chaotic attractors can not give full play to the essence of human eyes cooperating with brain information processing, a new method to obtain the brain information of complete three-dimensional chaotic attractors by using red–blue 3D glasses is proposed. The results show that compared with the traditional method based on the memristive system, the visual effect of chaotic attractors observed by red–blue 3D glasses is shocking. In addition, an image encryption algorithm is designed to verify the image encryption application of the memristive system based on DNA variation. A series of security performance analysis experiments are performed to verify the effectiveness and reliability of the designed algorithm such as the secret key space analysis, histogram distribution analysis, information entropy analysis, correlation analysis and key sensitivity analysis. Finally, the hardware circuit based on the memristive system is implemented with some common electronic devices, which has the advantages of simple structure and low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel color image encryption algorithm based on the fractional order laser chaotic system and DNA mutation principle is proposed in this paper. Using phase diagram, Lyapunov exponential spectrum, bifurcation diagram and C0 complexity, the dynamic characteristics of the fractional-order laser chaotic system are analyzed, and the hardware circuit simulation of the chaotic system is realized on the DSP platform. Based on the comprehensive analysis of the system, we have designed an image encryption algorithm. Firstly, the chaotic sequence and Arnold matrix are used to scramble the value of the image. Then, in the diffusion link, DNA diffusion algorithm and DNA mutation theory were used for the first time, which increased the randomness of the matrix. The performances of the designed encryption scheme are analyzed by key space, correlation coefficients, information entropy, histogram, differential attacks and robustness analysis., the experimental results prove that the algorithm has strong encryption capabilities and can withstand multiple decryption methods. The new color image encryption scheme proposed in this paper can realize the secure communication of digital images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/hypothesis: Lipotoxicity constitutes the major driving force for type 2 diabetes. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in regulating beta cell function and exosomes are essential mediators of intercellular communication. The role of exosomal circRNAs in type 2 diabetes remains largely unknown. We aimed to examine whether lipotoxicity induces dysregulation of circRNAs in beta cell-derived exosomes and to determine the contribution of exosomal circRNAs to the development of type 2 diabetes. Methods: Exosomes were extracted from MIN6 cells treated with palmitate or BSA, and RNA sequencing was performed. CircGlis3 (Gli-similar 3) expression level was validated by qPCR. The impact of circGlis3 on beta cell function and the deleterious effects of exosomal circGlis3 on islet endothelial cells (islet ECs) were investigated in vitro and in vivo in human and mouse models by gain or loss of function assays. The molecular mechanism of circGlis3 was explored by RNA pull-down and immunoprecipitation assays. Results: Beta cell-derived exosomal circGlis3 was significantly upregulated under lipotoxic conditions, and exosomal circGlis3 levels were also elevated in the serum of mouse models of diabetes and participants with type 2 diabetes. CircGlis3 participated in lipotoxicity-induced beta cell dysfunction in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, beta cell-derived exosomal circGlis3 could be transferred to islet ECs and reduce the cell viability, cell migration and angiogenesis of islet ECs. Mechanistically, circGlis3 promoted the degradation of glucocorticoid modulatory element-binding protein 1 (GMEB1) by facilitating the interaction between GMEB1 and mindbomb E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 2 (MIB2), thus suppressing the phosphorylation of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27). Conclusions/interpretation: Our study points to the involvement of circGlis3 in diabetes development, and exosomal circGlis3 transfer as a communication mode between beta cells and islet ECs, suggesting that circGlis3 might be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes. Data availability: The RNA-sequencing data have been deposited in the NCBI Sequence Read Archive (SRA) database, with accession number PRJNA689673. Mass spectrometry data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD024693. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gully is the most dynamic and changeable landform unit on the Loess Plateau, and the characteristics of gully landforms are key indicators of gully evolution. Different gully profiles are connected and combined through runoff nodes. Thus, it is necessary to cluster gully profiles into a gully profile combination (GPC) to reveal the spatial variation in gully landforms throughout the Loess Plateau. First, the gradient and gully evolution index (GEI) of two sample areas in Changwu and Suide in Shaanxi Province, China are calculated and analysed based on GPC. Then, the gradient and GEI are calculated by using 90-m-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) data for the severe soil erosion area with the basin as the research unit. On this basis, the spatial variation in the development degree is analysed with Getis-Ord Gi*. The results show that the degree of gully undercutting decreases from southeast to northwest under the influence of rainfall. Due to the soil properties, the loess in the northwest is more prone to collapse, resulting in the decrease of GEI from northwest to southeast. The development degree of gullies is closely related to rivers. The strong erosive capacity of rivers leads to greater differences in gullies within the basin. At the same time, the skewness and kurtosis of the gully index in the basin are correlated; when the distribution of the gully index in the basin is less normal, the distribution of the gully index is more concentrated. These results reveal the spatial variation characteristics of the Loess Plateau based on GPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this note, we show a sharp lower bound of min { ∑ i = 1 k d G (u i) : u 1 u 2 ... u k is a path of (2-)connected G on its order such that (k-1)-iterated line graphs Lk−1(G) are hamiltonian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies had focused on the association between air pollution and health outcomes in recent years. However, little evidence is available on associations between air pollutants and premature rupture of membranes (PROM). Therefore, we performed time-series analysis to evaluate the association between PROM and air pollution. The daily average concentrations of PM2.5, SO2 and NO2 were 54.58 μg/m3, 13.06 μg/m3 and 46.09 μg/m3, respectively, and daily maximum 8-h average O3 concentration was 95.67 μg/m3. The strongest effects of SO2, NO2 and O3 were found in lag4, lag06 and lag09, and an increase of 10 μg/m3 in SO2, NO2 and O3 was corresponding to increase in incidence of PROM of 8.74% (95% CI 2.12–15.79%), 3.09% (95% CI 0.64–5.59%) and 1.68% (95% CI 0.28–3.09%), respectively. There were no significant effects of PM2.5 on PROM. Season-specific analyses found that the effects of PM2.5, SO2 and O3 on PROM were more obvious in cold season, but the statistically significant effect of NO2 was observed in warm season. We also found the modifying effects by maternal age on PROM, and we found that the effects of SO2 and NO2 on PROM were higher among younger mothers (< 35 years) than advanced age mothers (≥ 35 years); however, ≥ 35 years group were more vulnerable to O3 than < 35 years group. This study indicates that air pollution exposure is an important risk factor for PROM and we wish this study could provide evidence to local government to take rigid approaches to control emissions of air pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to introduce a simplest Lorenz-like chaotic circuit and the calculation of Hamiltonian energy function for the corresponding dimensionless Lorenz-like chaotic system, as well as its applications in weak signal detection and chaotic secure communication. First, a simplest Lorenz-like chaotic circuit composed of three operational amplifiers and two analog multipliers is constructed through simplified circuit design based on a Lorenz chaotic circuit composed of six operational amplifiers and two analog multipliers. Then, the weak signal detection problem of the corresponding Lorenz-like chaotic system is studied by utilizing the extreme sensitivity of chaotic system to initial value in consideration of the inaccuracy of traditional detection methods. Furthermore, the Hamiltonian energy function of the Lorenz-like chaotic system is calculated based on the Helmholtz theorem. In addition, the simplest Lorenz-like chaotic circuit is applied to construct a chaotic secure communication system using the active control synchronization method. Accordingly, the hardware circuits are implemented to prove the effectiveness and feasibility of the simplest Lorenz-like chaotic circuit and the chaotic secure communication circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ba, Y and Al co-doped Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) was prepared by the solid-state reaction method. Effect of sintering on the crystallographic structure, morphology, total conductivity, relative density and contractibility rate of the prepared solid electrolyte was studied, respectively. The sintered samples were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) techniques, respectively. The cubic garnet phase Ba, Y and Al co-doped LLZO is obtained, and the room-temperature total conductivity of the Ba, Y and Al co-doped LLZO solid electrolyte is improved significantly by eliminating the grain boundary resistances and improving the densifications with controlling sintering temperature (T) and time (t), respectively. Sintering at 1160–1190 °C for 12 h and at 1190 °C for 6–15 h, respectively, the Ba, Y and Al co-doped LLZO solid electrolytes are cubic garnet phase. Sintering at 1180–1190 °C for 12 h and at 1190 °C for 12–18 h, respectively, SEM images of the cross section of the Ba, Y and Al co-doped LLZO solid electrolytes exhibit the distinctively flattened morphology without any noticeable grain boundaries. The total conductivity, relative density and contractibility rate of Li6.52La2.98Ba0.02Zr1.9Y0.1Al0.2O12 solid electrolyte are 2.96 × 10−4 S·cm−1, 94.19% and 18.61%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel image encryption algorithm based on a new discrete chaotic system is presented. The chaotic characteristics of the new chaotic system are analyzed by phase diagram, Lyapunov exponent, bifurcation diagram and complexity analysis. The randomness of chaotic sequences is test by the NIST SP 800-22 test package. The calculation time with different length sequence is recorded. Based on the analyses results, a flexible encryption scheme is designed for 2D image and 3D image. The hash value which is calculated from the SHA-256 hash function is used to change the initial conditions of the discrete system firstly. And then, the chaotic sequences are used to scramble and spread the value for the images by Arnold matrix and DNA diffusion algorithm. The security analysis shows that the proposed encryption algorithm possesses higher security features to preserve the subject and resist conventional attack. The results of this paper offer a different realization scheme for protection of image files. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A turn-on/off ratiometric fluorescence detection platform based on multifunctional lanthanide metal-organic framework (Ln-MOF) and an enzymatic cascade reaction is proposed for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay. L-phosphotyrosine is hydrolyzed to levodopa (L-dopa) by two steps of enzymatic reaction. L-dopa further reacts with naphthoresorcinol to produce carboxyazamonardine with strong emission at 490 nm. In this process, multifunctional Ln-MOF (Cu@Eu-BTC, BTC is the 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid) acts not only as a nanozyme to catalyze the fluorogenic reaction between L-dopa and naphthoresorcinol but also as a fluorescence internal standard. The emission of Cu@Eu-BTC at 620 nm is quenched by phosphate anions, and the dual-response ratiometric fluorescence (F490/F620) can be achieved. A good linear relationship was obtained between Δ(F490/F620) and ALP activity in the range 0.3–24 U L−1 with the detection limit of 0.02 U L−1. In addition, a portable assay tube was designed for visual and point-of-care testing of ALP activity by color variation (ratiometric chromaticity). Both the ratiometric fluorescence detection and the visual detection methods were successfully applied to monitor ALP activity in human serum samples with recovery between 95.5%–109.0% and 94.0%–110.1%, and relative standard deviation less than 8.1% and 9.5%, respectively. As far as we know, this is the first report of ALP activity assay assisted by multifunctional Ln-MOF. Graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual information plays a critical role in human decision-making process. Recent developments on visually aware recommender systems have taken the product image into account. We argue that the aesthetic factor is very important in modeling and predicting users' preferences, especially for some fashion-related domains like clothing and jewelry. This work is an extension of our previous paper (Yu et al., in: WWW, pp 649–658, 2018), where we addressed the need of modeling aesthetic information in visually aware recommender systems. Technically speaking, we make three key contributions in leveraging deep aesthetic features. In Yu et al. (in: WWW, pp 649–658, 2018), (1) we introduced the aesthetic features extracted from product images by a deep aesthetic network to describe the aesthetics of products. We incorporated these features into recommender system to model users' preferences in the aesthetic aspect. (2) Since in clothing recommendation, time is very important for users to make decision, we designed a new tensor decomposition model for implicit feedback data. The aesthetic features were then injected to the basic tensor model to capture the temporal dynamics of aesthetic preferences. In this extended version, we try to explore aesthetic features in negative sampling to get further benefit in recommendation tasks. In implicit feedback data, we only have positive samples. Negative sampling is performed to get negative samples. In conventional sampling strategy, uninteracted items are selected as negative samples randomly. However, we may sample potential samples (preferred but unseen items) as negative ones by mistake. To address this gap, (3) we use the aesthetic features to optimize the sampling strategy. We enrich the pairwise training samples by considering the similarity among items in the aesthetic space (and also in the semantic space and graphs). The key idea is that a user may likely have similar perception on similar items. We perform extensive experiments on several real-world datasets and demonstrate the usefulness of aesthetic features and the effectiveness of our proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new four-dimensional dissipative chaotic system which can produce multiple asymmetric attractors is designed and its dynamical behaviors are analyzed. The basin of attraction reveals the asymmetric multistability of the system. In addition, it is very interesting to observe different types of asymmetric coexisting attractors as the bifurcation parameters change. The spectral entropy complexity chaotic diagrams are used to observe the changes in the sequence complexity when the two bifurcation parameters change simultaneously. Moreover, the difference of the system complexity between the two different initial values is analyzed. In order to facilitate engineering applications, the offset boosting control is introduced to the state variable, and the numerical simulation shows that the offset boosting control scheme can flexibly change the polarity of the chaotic signal. Finally, an analog circuit and a digital circuit were designed to verify the new chaotic system. The new research results will enrich the theoretical basis of multistability, offset boosting control and circuit implementation of chaos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are few approved biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring of cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA), thus the oral food challenge remains to be the golden diagnostic standard. A potential biomarker is fecal calprotectin, a cytosolic protein, elevating in the presence of intestinal mucosal inflammation. We aimed to undertake a scoping review of the evidence pertaining to the current status of fecal calprotectin used for diagnosis and monitoring CMPA in children, and tried to indicate the aspects needed to be concerned in the future investigations and researches. Methods: A scoping review was performed using the literature searched from PUBMED, EMBASE, and Web of Science Databases until July 2019 on the studies about the application of fecal calprotectin as a biomarker of CMPA in children. Studies were examined according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were extracted, and a narrative synthesis was conducted to summarize and analyze. Results: Thirteen studies with different study design embracing 1238 children were included. The age range was from infants to adolescents. Most children with CMPA presented gastrointestinal symptoms, among which hematochezia was most common. Amount of data suggested that infants with CMPA represented elevated levels of fecal calprotectin, particularly with distinct significance in non-IgE-mediated CMPA groups. Decreases of fecal calprotectin after elimination diet were demonstrated in enrolled studies. However, no matter in the CMPA positive or negative groups, the changes of fecal calprotectin before or after challenge showed no significance. Contradictory results were generated from studies on the role of fecal calprotectin in predicting allergic disease. Conclusions: Available evidence is not sufficient to confirm the utilization of fecal calprotectin both in diagnosis and monitoring of CMPA and predicting for allergic disease. More clinical and bench researches with elaborate design should be conducted and the exact cut-off values of fecal calprotectin in different groups remain to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon fibers reinforced lithium aluminosilicate matrix composites (Cf/LAS) were prepared by slurry infiltration combined with a hot press procedure. The friction, wear behavior, and wear mechanisms of Cf/LAS composites under dry sliding conditions were investigated. The results show that the coefficient of friction (COF) initially increased with the increase in carbon fiber content, and reached the maximum value of 0.20 for the 33%Cf/LAS composite. The COF increased sharply with increasing sample temperature from RT to 300 °C. The COF remained stable in the temperature range of 300–500 °C. The two wear mechanisms of LAS glassceramics are fatigue wear and abrasive wear. The Cf/LAS composites demonstrate slight spalling and shallow scratches. These results show that carbon fibers improve the mechanical properties and wear resistance of Cf/LAS composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ephemeral gullies, which are widely developed worldwide and threaten farmlands, have aroused a growing concern. Identifying and mapping gullies are generally considered prerequisites of gully erosion assessment. However, ephemeral gully mapping remains a challenge. In this study, we proposed a flow-directional detection for identifying ephemeral gullies from high-resolution images and digital elevation models (DEMs). Ephemeral gullies exhibit clear linear features in high-resolution images. An edge detection operator was initially used to identify linear features from high-resolution images. Then, according to gully erosion mechanism, the flow-directional detection was designed. Edge images obtained from edge detection and flow directions obtained from DEMs were used to implement the flow-directional detection that detects ephemeral gullies along the flow direction. Results from ten study areas in the Loess Plateau of China showed that ranges of precision, recall, and F-measure are 60.66%–90.47%, 65.74%–94.98%, and 63.10%–91.93%, respectively. The proposed method is flexible and can be used with various images and DEMs. However, analysis of the effect of DEM resolution and accuracy showed that DEM resolution only demonstrates a minor effect on the detection results. Conversely, DEM accuracy influences the detection result and is more important than the DEM resolution. The worse the vertical accuracy of DEM, the lower the performance of the flow-directional detection will be. This work is beneficial to research related to monitoring gully erosion and assessing soil loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study risk factors for tuberculosis (TB) patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) living in Western China and analyze the baseline characteristics and clinical data of those patients for developing an effective screening strategy. Methods: We enrolled 3548 TB patients who were admitted to our hospital from 2014 to 2018. The baseline characteristics and clinical data of TB patients with and without DM were compared. Besides, risk factors were presented, and their effects on TB patients with and without DM were analyzed. Results: The prevalence of DM among TB patients was 7.7%, which increased with elevation of the patients' age, and 63.1% of TB patients with DM had hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥ 7.0%. The prevalence of DM in the Han patients with TB was the highest (8.8%), which was roughly three times higher than that in the Tibetan patients with TB (3.0%). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, elevated values of the patients' age (odds ratio (OR), 1.047 (1.033–1.062, p < 0.01), blood pressure (OR, 1.735 (1.101–2.734), p = 0.04), proportion of cavity in pulmonary TB (PTB) (OR, 2.167 (1.272–3.656), p = 0.004), fasting blood glucose (OR, 2.248 (1.997–2.555), p < 0.001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (OR, 1.007 (1.001–1.012), p = 0.027), and proportion of patients with PTB (OR, 2.426 (1.425–4.104), p < 0.001) were significantly associated with increased prevalence of DM in TB patients. For evaluation of the model, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted, in which the area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.924 was obtained for an optimal cutoff value of 0.052. The re-sampling method was utilized to verify the regression model, and the mean squared error (MSE) was 0.00026. Conclusions: The prevalence of DM in TB patients is high and is associated with severe clinical symptoms. Therefore, early screening of DM for TB patients is highly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Squamous cell/adenosquamous carcinoma (SC/ASC) is a rarely identified form of gallbladder cancer with poorly understood clinical features. As such, there is an urgent need to identify novel prognostic biomarkers for such gallbladder SC/ASC cases, and for gallbladder adenocarcinomas (ACs). Methods: The levels of ACO2 and ANPEP proteins were assessed via an EnVision-based immunohistochemical approach using 46 SC/ASC and 80 AC patient samples. Results: There was a marked reduction in levels of ACO2 and ANPEP in gallbladder AC relative to normal adjacent tissue or benign gallbladder lesions. The was a significant correlation between lack of ACO2 and ANPEP and larger tumors, higher tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging, invasion, metastasis to regional lymph nodes, and ineligibility for surgical resection in both SC/ASC and AC tumor samples. Kaplan–Meier survival analyses further confirmed a relationship between ACO2 and ANPEP negativity and decreased overall survival in patients with these diseases (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), and a multivariate regression analysis further established that ACO2 negativity and ANPEP negativity were independently predictive of poor SC/ASC and AC patient outcomes. Conclusions: ACO2 and ANPEP may have key physiological relevance in cancers of the gallbladder and thus warrant investigation as prognostic biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the initial learning curve (LC) for robot-assisted pancreaticoduodenectomy (RAPD) and compare RAPD during the initial LC with open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD) in terms of outcome. This study is a retrospective review of patients who consecutively underwent RAPD and OPD between October 2015 and January 2020 in our hospital. 41 consecutive RAPD cases and 53 consecutive open cases were enrolled for review. Compared with OPD, RAPD required a significantly longer operative time (401.1 ± 127.5 vs. 230.8 ± 44.5 min, P < 0.001) and higher cost (194621 ± 78342 vs. 121874 ± 39973 CNY, P < 0.001). Moreover, compared with the OPD group, the RAPD group revealed a significantly smaller mean number of lymph nodes harvested in malignant cases (15.6 ± 5.9 vs 18.9 ± 7.3, P = 0.025). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of incidence of Clavien–Dindo grade III–V morbidities and 90-day mortality and readmission (P>0.05). In the CUSUM graph, one peak point was observed at the 8th case, after which the operation time began to decrease. LC for RAPD may be less than 30 cases, and RAPD is safe and feasible during the initial LC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1), a member of the Rho GTPase family which plays important roles in dendritic spine morphology and plasticity, is a key regulator of cytoskeletal reorganization in dendrites and spines. Here, we investigated whether and how Rac1 modulates synaptic transmission in mouse retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) using selective conditional knockout of Rac1 (Rac1-cKO). Rac1-cKO significantly reduced the frequency of AMPA receptor-mediated miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents, while glycine/GABAA receptor-mediated miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents were not affected. Although the total GluA1 protein level was increased in Rac1-cKO mice, its expression in the membrane component was unchanged. Rac1-cKO did not affect spine-like branch density in single dendrites, but significantly reduced the dendritic complexity, which resulted in a decrease in the total number of dendritic spine-like branches. These results suggest that Rac1 selectively affects excitatory synaptic transmission in RGCs by modulating dendritic complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]